Gov. Jack Markell has vetoed a controversial bill that would allow parents to pull their kids out of the state’s standardized test.

Did you honestly think he would support it ?

Markell has opposed the bill since its inception and rallied business and civil rights leaders against it.

Is that “rallied” or “Ra$$ied” ?

In a press release, a group of Wilmington civil rights advocates praised Markell’s decision. They included Deborah Wilson, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League; Maria Matos, president and CEO of the Latin American Community Center; H. Ray Jones Avery, executive director of the Christina Cultural Arts Center; and New Castle County Councilman Jea Street.

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Yep Kim Williams was an average mom getting involved is her children’s schools and expanding to the district level. And today this lady is true to the core! Many in Dover fear real transparency whereas Kim embraces it. Of all the newbies in public office Kim has the right stuff to possibly be the governor of Delaware. Maybe not next year but soon after. She would be a shoe-in for Lt. Governor. Kim a democrat is always ready to work with any republican who wants to deliver real transparency of government and public education. Kim is very appealing to independent voters and disenfranchised republican. Kim lives is the real world, well centered but stays true to her core values and respect values of others. And you can bet those with well establish power in her own party are keeping an eye on her! What I admire about her the most is, when the closure of GM Boxwood plant rocked her family’s world she and her husband grabbed on to each other and forged new careers in real-estate. I do believe you can call it grit! Keep up the great work Kim !

Exclusive: Red Clay & Delaware DOE Letters You Have To See To Believe! Must Read!!!!! by Exceptional Delaware

From DE DOE’s letter to Red Clay:

Financials

As previously discussed, Highlands ES, Warner ES, and Shortlidge ES will each receive $1,000,000 over the next three years. This funding will be disbursed quarterly, as we confirm that Red Clay is making progress and meeting commitments outlined under the MOU and school plans. In addition, please ensure that you have allocated at least 10% of your Title I funds to your three Priority Schools, beyond the allocation the schools have received historically.

Folks,Red Clay Federal Title 1 Funding for FY16 is $5,409,873.00. 10% of that = $541,00.00. This money will be taken from other Red Clay Title 1 funded non-priority schools and distributed to Highlands, Warner and Shortlidge over and above their normal Title 1 funding! We’re talking a good chunk of $$$ taken from other Red Clay Title 1 schools. Red Clay board was never informed by district admins about this little $$$ catch. Yes Ms. Thompson you and the other board members were “duked”.

Red Clay’s letter to Governor Jack Markell:

The Department of Education, however, has not kept the same commitments and we have reached a point of critical impasse. After the initial planning money, no funding has been provided nor has there been any affirmation or commitment to fund the plans. In our minds, it is unconscionable for the Department of Education to lead our communities to believe our highest needs students would receive support and not deliver on those promises. The MOU specified funding allocations would be provided 30 days after the MOU was signed which would have been February 19, 2015. We are now in the middleof May and must make critical decisions for planning for the upcoming year

BEACH OF CONTRACT ON DE DOE’S PART!

As we struggle through the Priority School process, the difficulties we have encountered with the Department of Education (timeline completion) and the uncertainty in fundinghave shaken our very trust and confidence in working collaboratively with the state on the larger issues facing students in the City of Wilmington. The district and school board(resolution attached) cannot in any way support the recommendations of the Wilmington Education Accountability Committee without knowing first hand we have the resources and commitments to serve our current students and schools. If we cannot resolve the issues of the three priority schools, how will we work in a collaborative manner to deal with the larger issues of the City of Wilmington?

More proof Red Clay leadership lacks the capacity to entertain expanding it’s district boundaries to add some of Christina’s at risk Wilmington schools.

One thing for sure is, Red Clay’s board better get a grip on “control”. Now is the time to stand shoulder to shoulder and do what’s right for Red Clay students and taxpayers. The super and all his knights serve a the pleasure of the board!

Thompson called out Merv on priority school funding Markell promised for Red Clay’s priority schools. Well guess what! The ain’t no state funding! The Money Markell was blowing his horn about is reallocating Red Clay “district” Title 1 funding shifting more to the priority schools aka no schools of greatest needs and less to other Title 1 programs throughout the district! It’s a fucking $$$ shell game!

Thompson is on the ball! Merv said “I don’t know where it’s coming from” re: Priority funding! Big confusing on where the priority funding is coming from! So in the meantime the district must back-fill Priority Schools with local and Title 1 funding until Markell delivers on his promise! Thompson says, ” I feel duked”.

As far as Red Clay taking over Christina’s Wilmington’s school, board member Thompson said, there should be referendum to redistrict. Makes sense to me!

Mark my words! If Red Clay takes on some of Christina’s Wilmington schools Red Clay will implode under the weight! More referendum! Not enough money to maintain current programs! RED CLAY DOES NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY to handle more school particularly high needs schools.

Other news, Conrad didn’t receive state funding for their wellness center.

As you may not know, Red Clay is in the process of moving some admin responsibilities including Red Clay charter school oversight. One of my main bitches is, inconsistency in Red Clay’s charter schools release of information on the schools websites such as board minutes, board agenda and financial data.

Historically school boards don’t release board meeting minutes until after the next meeting whereas previous board minutes must be approved by the board. As you can see CSW clearly noted DRAFT on June’s minutes. This is fine and is very welcomed. I hope CSW can stay consistent in releasing monthly data. Also, I do want to note CSW board minutes do have “substance” whereas not vague. This should hold us over until we get legislation enacted to require recording of board meetings. Might take ousting Red Debbie Hudson and Rep Mike Ramone.

I hope CSW stays on track updating their website and that Red Clay admins can get their heads out of their asses to ensure CSW stays on track.

SY 2012 – 2013

So where is May’s minutes? Where are the meeting “agendas” for any of the months? What about the Citizen Budget Oversight Committee meeting minutes? Last minute reportwas January 2014 (February 2104 and March 2014 were canceled due to pending snow storm) Last required monthly financial reportwas April 2015 . The law specifies MONTHLY !! Who are the CBOC members??? Committee Members
“DCPA is revamping our Oversight Committee and we are seeking members.” WTF ???????????????

Merv I am sorry, you are do a shit job filling the charter school oversight responsibility! And OMG, a board member has to ask “if DCPA is still on probation”

Where are the monthly minutes of the charter oversight committee meeting ?? re: probation ???

It is obvious the Red Clay board is not invested in the Red Clay charter school issues! DCPA is struggling and their charter renewal is coming up in a few months! DCPA is structurally flawed and can’t meet enrollment requirements and the solution is ask for a modification to lower enrollment?? Don’t tell me no Red Clay board member is on the DCPA charter review committee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHERE ARE THOSE MEETING MINUTES???

Damn this school is tracking towards closure whereas yep, children will pay the price! What I see hear is , Red Clay lacks the capacity to effective provide quality oversight to right the ship!

Dear Red Clay Board Members! Now is the the time to demand all data and information from “MERV”. You should be given a comprehensive monthly charter report and as for Red Clay charters on probation, minutes should afforded an posting following state protocol. Why should I be required to file a FOIA for information that is required by law to be posted??

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This was just announced by the Delaware Department of Education. The good news is teacher and principal evaluations will get another “skip” year from the Smarter Balanced Assessment. The bad news, the feds really want the state to implement more priority, focus and reward schools in 2016-2017 based on the DOE’s new accountability system with grading schools. I told you nine months ago this was coming…and here it is…

Below is the press announcement from the Delaware DOE:

Delaware receives federal approval for ESEA flexibility renewal

The U.S. Department of Education today approved Delaware’s request for another year of flexibility from the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

Acting Assistant Secretary Heather Rieman said ESEA flexibility has helped “Delaware to carry out important reforms to improve student achievement …With this renewal, Delaware will be able to continue implementing its plan to promote innovative, locally tailored strategies to improve educational…

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Below you see “Board Agenda & Mtg Minutes” however, click the date and you’ll only see board meeting minutes. So where is the board agendas? Yea and you can see, just like with Charter School of Wilmington another “Red Clay Chartered Charter School” meeting minutes “aren’t” timely. Leadership starts with the board and the board president! Red Clay admins appear to be keeping the wool over Kenny’s eye! Thank you for your leadership Rep Hudson, Rep Romone and Sen Lavelle! Protect the status quo and the rest can go to hell! Right Mike!

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kavips| July 5, 2015 at 11:43 am |

Actually, Kilroy…. ;your protection of the Charter Schools has come back to bite you in the ass… As long as you are giving protection and saying you support Charter schools when all of us know how corrupt and filthy they are, it makes perfect since why they should not report all their corruption and filth to the public, if they still have your support….

But…..

If you were to come out as all others have, and admit that charters are failures, that we need to eradicate them forever off the face of Delawaresoil, that we should no longer have charter money leaving public schools to fester in the 1%’s pocket…. Then, and only then, would they even consider passing this open recording legislation, simply because the entire Charter Program would now be in jeopardy…”We have to pass this law in order to save Charters in Delaware!!!… ” Just switch over to blasting the charter concept out of the water, over to decrying how HORRIBLE< HORRIBLE< HORRIBLE every single charter is (in principle)… and then sit back and watch the huge majorities with which these open recording bills gets passed next year…..

Remember what we really need is soap in our children’s school bathrooms…. not profiteering education Think Tank head wannabe making $280,000 a year of money that should be going towards our children’s education..

Fight to eliminate all Charters forever… and your bill will get passed overwhelmingly!!!! because the Charters themselves will be pushing it as a last gaspattempt to stay alive…:)….

Indeed Kilroy does need to step-back and rethink his pro-charter school (choice) position.

My position hangs on charters being another Choice option for students and parents. However, in the big picture the corruption we are seeing within some charter schools and the lack of urgency to address those issues is alarming!

The call for radical changes in public education stemmed from the need to close the achievement gap between black and white students. Creating predominately black and white charter schools is nothing more than circumventing the intent of desegregation.

Flags don’t kill, people do! De facto segregation in Delaware schools was hand crafted by the like of Rep Hudson and many who harbor racist views stemming from the force busing days as they call it. One among the charter school crowd worn an arm-band reading back in the anti-busing days that read, Save A.I.. The charter school specific interest admission preference was designed to appease whites and to lock-out at-risk minorities.

Kavips, my call for transparency of all school boards is as strong as my support for schools choice that includes charter schools. However, that position is shifting. Every traditional public school district in New Castle County is voluntarily recording the public session of their school board meetings. Rep. Debbie Hudson, Rep Mike Ramone and Sen Greg Lavelle failed to fight for House Bill #23 and #61. The roadblock to passage of this legislation is all about protect charter schools who want to operate in the dark! But they aren’t they only ones protecting charter schools. The Red Clay school board president and board members fail to ensure Charter School of Wilmington make public their board minutes in a timely manner. Why do I blame them when Red Clay Super’s “team” oversees Red Clay charter schools? Because the board fails to stand as the charter school governing authority as required by law. They wait for someone to complain to address the concerns. How fucking hard is it for them to take a look at “their” charter school’s webpages? When will we see change in Red Clay’s oversight of “their” charter schools?

Kavips, I am not giving up on the demand for recording school board meetings. However, indeed my support for charter schools as being a “Choice” option is running thin. Red Clay’s board lack of effective action is really turning me sour on charter schools authorized by Red Clay. Dare them to ever consider another charter school.

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“Charter school reform bill is now law”

“Rep. Hudson recently thanked Governor Markell for making charter school reform a priority of his administration. Reps. Hudson, Tim Dukes and Ron Gray participated in the bill signing ceremony of HB 165, ensuring greater accountability and flexibility for charter schools in Delaware. The bill also sets up a performance fund to reward those high-performing charters, especially those schools serving high-needs students.”

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This is the ribbon-cutting for the William F Cooke Jr Elementary School. The parent who started the required petition that included getting at least two legislators signatures was pushed aside and not induced in any photos. As you see Rep Hudson and Rep Ramone are in the picture. Hudson did offer a letter of support when asked but nearly had to be begged. Ramone just showed up because the new school is in his Rep district!

The parent who started the petition originally was told she couldn’t park at the new school on the night of the ribbon-cutting because the spaces were “reserved”. Calls and E-mails were made to board members and district administration as to WHAT THE FUCK!

Debbie stands all proud as if she worked he ass off to petition community members AND speak before the school name selection committee. The parent who was responsible stood before the committee in tears express he feelings how Buzzy Cooke was the anchor in her life as her parents went through a divorce. The is when this parent was starting fist grade at Richey school where Buzzy Cooke was principal.

Why is Debbie Hudson wearing a red dress? Typical do nothing Republican. As for Ramone, shame on you Mike!